Breech-loading shotgun



4 SheetsSheet 1.

(N9 Model.)

. G. S. BARTLETT, BREEGH LOADING SHOTGUN.

No.'464,'06'0. Patented Dec..1, 1891.

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G. S. BARTLETT. 13111111011 LOADING 3110111111111.

110. 464,060; Patented Dec, 1,.1891.

lgael ir (No Model.) 4 Sheets Sheet 3. G. S. BARTLETT.

BREEGH LOADING SHOTGUN.

No; 464,060. Patented Dec. 1,1891.

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llllllull'l I'lll'lIlll' lllll'll (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

G. S. BARTLETT.

BREEGH LOADING SHOTGUN. No. 464,060. Patented Dec. 1, 1891.

.50 detail of the trigger.

TATES ATENT Trice.

BREECH-LOADING SHOTGUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,060, dated December1, 1891.

Application filed July 2, 1891. Serial No.398,286. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. BARTLETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Anaconda, in the county of Deer Lodge and State of Montana,have invented a new and useful BreechLoading Shotgun, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in breech1oading shotguns; andthe objects in [0 view are to provide a gun of very simple andeconomical construction, the same being composed of few easilymanufactured, assembled, and accessible parts; to adapt the gun toautomatically cock and extract at the operation of breaking or opening;to provide means for indicating when the gun is cocked; to provide asafety device whereby accidental discharge caused by sudden jars isprevented, and, finally, to provide an improved means for locking thebarrels.

\Vith the above main objects and other minor objects in view theinvention consists in certain features of construction hereinafterspecified, and particularly pointed out in the claims. 1

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of abreech-loading shotgun constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.2 is a vertical longitudinal section, the

0 parts being in the position occupied bythem when the piece has beenfired, the section being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 8. Fig. 3 is asimilar view on the same line of Fig. 8, the parts being shown in theposition they 5 occupy when the gun has just been cocked by the breakingof the piece. Fig. 4 is a similar view, the gun being ready for firing,the barrel closed, and the safety block or catch in engagement with thehammer as when the piece has been jolted or jarred enough to causeaccidental movement of the hammer. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section onthe line 5 5 of Fig. 8, the section being taken between the two hammersand at one side of the barrellocking block. Fig. 6 is a similar View,the gun being broken. Fig. 7 is a detail of the locking-block, with itsoperating-lever and connection. Fig. 8 is a plan of the gun, the top ofthe receiver being removed. Fig. 9 is a Fig. 10 is a detail of thehammer. Fig. 11 is a detail of the safetycatch. Fig. 12 is a detail ofthe tumbler for actuating the extractors. Fig. 13 is a detail of thetrigger-locking bar.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

1 designates the grip portion of the stock of the gun, to which issecured the receiver 2 by means of a removable bolt 3, passed throughthe upper and lower tail-pieces 4t and 5 of the receiver and through thegrip, said tail-pieces embracing the grip in the manner indicated. Thebelt 3 also passes through the rear end of the trigger-guard 6. Thereceiver is somewhat of the usual formation,

consisting, as it does, of the forward extension 7 and in rear of thesame having the standing block 8. To the front end of the extension 7there are hinged, as at 9, the barrels 10, having upon their under sidethe usual lump 11, the rear face of which is slightly concaved, as shownat 12, for a purpose hereinafter apparent, and the under side of whichis reduced or recessed, combining with the extension 7 to form therecess 13. In the standing block, which has its under side recessed,there is located upon a transverse bearing-pin 14: the pivotal swinginglocking-block 15, thefront end of which pro jects through an opening inthe standing block directly opposite the rear end of the lump 11 and hasa conveXed face 16 for taking against and overlapping the concaved face12 of the lump. The convexed face 16 is also provided with a shallowrecess 17, and at the opposite side of its pivot the block is providedwith a shoulder 18.

19 designates the snap-lever, which at its forward end has a cylindricalhead 20,1ongitudinally bored and swiveled in position by an invertedswiveling screw 21, passed into said head and in a countersunk openingformedin the receiver. One side of the head 20 of the snap-lever 19 isprovided with a cylindrical lug 22 and the same engages a facial groove23, formed upon the inner adjacent side of a link 24, which is pivoted,as at 25, to the locking-block above and slightly in rear of itspivot-bearing 1e.

26 designates a flat spring, which by a screw 27 is secured rigidly tothe under side of the top of the receiver immediately in rear of thelocking-block, the front or free end of the spring resting and bearingagainst the shoulder 18 of said block, so that the latter is normallypressed forward into locking engagement with the lump of the barrels inthe manner heretofore mentioned.

Pivoted, as at 28, in the bottom of the recess 13, hitherto described,is a dog or pawl 29, the same being rearwardly disposed under the lump11 and normally pressed up against the bottom of the same by means of alight spring 30, secured to the receiver frame.

WVhen the snap-lever 19 is directly in rear or in line with the stock,the looking-block 15 is in looking position with relation to the lumpand the barrels are closed, as shown in Fig. 5. Now by swinging thesnap-lever to one side, as shown in Fig. 6, the lug 22 thereof, throughthe medium of the link 24, forces the upper end of the locking-block tothe front and withdraws the lower end from its position over the rearend of the lump, so that the barrels and their: lump are tilted and thedog or lever 29 is thrown by its spring 30 up into engagement with thenotch or seat 17 of the locking-block, so that the latter is held in awithdrawn position against the tendency of its spring 26. It will beseen, however, that by closing the barrels the lump coming against thedog 29 depresses the same out of locking engagement with the front endof the locking-block, thus permitting the spring 26 to throw the blockforward to its locked position.

Reference is now made more particularly to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, in which Ihave illustrated the mechanism in all of its various positions. It willbe understood that the mechanism described may be employed in a single-barrel breech-loadin g shotgun, in which case the mechanismheretofore described will be located at one side of the center of thereceiver, while that hereinafter described will be located at theopposite side. In the present instance, however, I have illustrated anddescribed my invention as applied to a doublebarrel breech-loading gun,and as the mechanisms at each side of the receiver are the same that atone side only will be described.

A bolt 31 is passed transversely through the opposite sides of thereceiver, and adjacent to the side of the receiver there is mounted uponthe same the rear end of the cookinglever 32, which latter has an eye 33formed in its rear end, so as to adapt it for loose connection with thebearing-bolt 31. The front end of the cocking-lever is upwardly andfor-Wardly curved to form a hook 34, the face of which at the extremity ofthe lever is rounded, as at 35. At one side of thelevera lug orextension 36 is formed, the same being laterally disposed. Upon the pinor bolt 31 at the inner side of the cocking-lever there is looselymounted the front extended end 37 of a trigger 38, which trigger isprovided at its lower end with the usual rest 39, at its upper sidehammer.

with the upper extension 40, having the curved wall 41 at its front, andat its rear side with the shoulder a2.

43 designates the sear, and the same is loosely mounted upon the pin orbolt 31 outside of the cocking-lever. The front end of the sear isbeveled, as shown at 4:4, to engage the hammer hereinafter described,while the rear end is laterally disposed and rests in the notch or seat42 of the trigger, so that by pressing the trigger the rear end of thesear is elevated and its front end withdrawn from engagement with theteeth or notches of the The sear is also provided in rear of its pivotwith a shoulder 45. A pin or bolt 46 is passed through the receiverashort distance in front of the bolt or pin 31, and upon the same isloosely pivoted the hammer 47. The hammer is provided at its front endwith an extension 48, which is over the cocking-lever and nearly restsupon the lateral extension 36 thereof, and at its rear end is providedwith an upper notch 49 and a lower sear-engaging notch 50, and thehammer above the notches 49 and 50 is provided with a curved face 51, inwhich is formed a safetynotch 52, and above the same with a curved face53.

54: indicates the V--shaped mainspring, the lower terminal of whichrests against the shoulder 45 of the sear, thus exerting a tendency todepress the rear end thereof, and the upper terminal of which pressesupwardly against the upper shoulder or notch 49 of the hammer, thusexerting a tendency to throw the reduced firing or impact end 55 of thehammer to the front and through the standing-block perforation 56.

57 designates the block safety-catch, which is located in-the upper sideof the receiver, and at its rear end is pivoted, as at 58, to adepending bearing screw or bracket 59. Upon its upper side the blocksafety-catch is provided with an indicating-lug 60, while its front endis rounded, as at 61, and in rear of the same provided with a shoulderor safetynotch 62. e

63 designates the safety-bar, the same being located at the center ofthe receiver and immediatelyinrearof thelocking-block. The barterminates at its front end in an enlarged rounded head 64, and at itsrear end is pivoted, as at 65, to a button 66, mounted for sliding in aslot 67, formed in the tail-piece 4 of the receiver. The front end orheadof the locking-bar is provided with a longitudinal slot 68, whichlatter loosely receives the pin or bolt 31, and in rear of said slot isprovided with a pin 69, which extends laterally at op-' posite sides ofthe bar and in front of and adapted to ride against the curved faces 41of the triggers.

Dovetailed ways are formed in the sides of the lump 11 on the under sideof the barrels, and in each of the same is mounted for reciprocation anordinary extractor 71 of L' shape and dovetailed in crosssection to fitthe grooves or ways 70.

The lump is provided with a pair of recesses, in which upon a bolt 72 ispivoted the pair of tumblers 73. Each tumbler comprises anupwardly-disposed reduced finger 74, which takes against the rear end ofan extractor, and is of substantial hook shape as a whole, in that itsrear face is curved or concaved, as at 75, and designed to engage thehook 34 of the cocking-lever,'the butt-end of the tumbler being curved,as at 76. e

The indicating-lug 60 of the safety-catch extends upwardly through anopening 77 when said catch is elevated, as when the piece is cocked, sothat it acts to indicate the position of the parts, and hence is calledan indicatinglug. For the purpose of depressing in a yielding manner thecatch 57 a V-shaped spring 78 is interposed between the catch and theupper wall of the receiver.

breaking the barrel, so as to open the same.

As the barrel is broken the cocking-lever-acts to partially rotate thetumbler 73, and thus by swinging the upper end of the same against theforward end of the extractor, forces said extractor outwardly, entirelywithdrawing the empty shell. As the tumbler ascends with the rear end ofthe barrel, it of course during this operation of actuating theextractors also elevates the front end of the cocking-lever, and throughthe medium of its lateral extension or lug 36, which takes under thefront end of the lower extension 48 of the hammer, raises said extensionand forces the upper end of the hammer to the rear, during whichrearward movement of the hammer the curved face 51 thereof ridesupwardly against and over the curved end 61 of the safetycatch, thuselevating the latter until its shoulder 62 has passed by and beyond thenotch 52 of the hammer and is resting against the upper curved face 53of the hammer, said movement being accomplished against the tendenciesof the small. spring 78 and the mainspring 54. As the bar 63 is forcedto the rear by the rearward movement of the locking-block, it will beseen that its pin 69 is thrown directly across the path of the triggersand against the curved faces 41 thereof and that during said movementthe but ton 66 is moved to the rear end of its slot '67. It will be seenthat the triggers are now safely locked against any movement whatever,and it will also be seen that the lower ends of the triggers are pressedforward, so as to be subsequently pulled by the rearward movement of thebar. As the hammer is swung to the rear by the elevation of thecocking-lever its notch 50 is engaged by the front end of the sear. Now,if by any cause-such as a sudden jar or fall of the piecethe end of thesear should be accidentally withdrawn from engagement with the notch 50,it will be seen that the hammer would, so far as the sear is concerned,be liberated and a premature accidental discharge of the piece result.Such accident, however, is provided for by the employment of thesafety-catch 57, which, having its shoulder or catch end located abovethe shoulder 52 of the hammer, would, when the hammer starts forward, bethrown into engagement therewith at the notch 52 by means of theV-shaped spring 78, whereby the hammer has moved but a short distancewhen it is caught and prevented from farther descent and any accidentaldischarge. The piece having been loaded, the barrel is closed, the lump11 throwing the dog out of engagement with the block 15, and the latterbeing thrown forward to a locked position over the lump. Still the pieceis not yet in condition for firing and cannot be discharged by accidentor otherwise until the button 66 has been pushed forward, so as toremove the transverse bars 69 from in front of the triggers 38. Afterthis has been accomplished it is simply necessary to pull the triggersand discharge the piece. Such a pull elevates the upper end of thetrigger, bringing the same into contact with the pin 7 9, extendinglaterally from the safety-catch, and at the time that it elevates thecatch from the path of the hammer the shoulder 42 of the triggerservesto elevate the rear end of the sear and withdraw the front end fromengagement with the shoulder 50 of the hammer, permitting the latter tobe thrown forward and explode the shell by the action of the mainspring54. WVhen the piece is at a fullcock, the indicating-lug on the upperend of the safety-catch is projected from the opening through which itextends above the receiver, and when lowered or the piece is not atfull-cock the lug is about flush with the receiver, so that itconstitutes an indicator, always accurately notifying the user when thepiece is cooked. It will be seen that if but one barrel is fired, whenthe gun is broken, but one (and that the empty) shellwill be extracted.Such will be obvious from the fact that there is but one spring bearingupon one lever, the other spring being inactive. It will be seen that Iutilize the full power of the mainspring in extracting, and that inloading the shells can be pushed entirely home, so that the gun willclose much easier than when said shells are forced into the barrel bymeans of the standing block, against which they scrape and drag in theact of closing the gun. When the hammers are down, the forwardprojection of the hammers rests upon a projection on the outer side ofthe cocking-levers, and the said levers bearing down on the rearwardprojection of the extractor-tumblers cause the tumblers to revolve, andthe forward and upward arms of the tumblers, striking against theextractorstems, force the extractors backward against the standing blockof the frame, throwing out the fired shells when released at the top ofthe standing block. Tipping the barrels slightly now brings the hammersto a fullcock, thus utilizing the full power of the mainsprings inejecting. If only one barrel is fi-red, the fired shell only is ejected,as there is no pressure upon the levers to operate theextracting-tumblers when hammers are at full-cock; but if the holderwishes to eject undischarged shells the barrels are tipped slightlybeyond the cocking-point, when the pressure of the mainsprings isbrought to bear in the usual manner, leaving the hammers at full-cock;or if it is desired to lower the hammers the triggers are held backwhile closingthe barrels andthe hammers drop with the levers. In theevent'of the holder failing to tip the barrels far enough to cock thehammers the cocking is done bya slight pressure on the shell whenloading, the extractor-tumblers being of such shape as to raise thecocking-levers sufficiently to accomplish this, as also to permit ofpushing the shell entirely home, which permits of the gun closing muchmore smoothly than when the shells are forced in by means of thestanding block while closing, as also relieving the strain on the hinge.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I provide a gunof very economical and simple constructionone that will efficientlyoperate and be safe and automatic in all its movements and employing inits make-up no projecting hammers or other elements which are liable toaccidentally engage the surrounding objects and cause accidentalexplosion, and one in which, even if so engaged or jarred, suchexplosion is impossible without the destruction of some of the parts ofthe gun.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a breech-loadingshotgun, the combination, with the receiver having the forwardextension, the barrels, and the lump pivoted to the front end of thesame, of a pivoted lump-locking block located in the receiver andadapted to engage the lump, a snap-lever pivoted to the receiver, andconnections between the upper end of the lump-locking block and saidsnap-lever, substantially as specified.

2. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiverhaving the forward extension, the barrels, and the lump at the underside of the same hinged to the extension, of the pivoted locking-blocklocated in the receiver and adapted to engage the lump, the levermounted on the receiver and adapted to actuate the locking-block, so asto withdraw the same from engagement with the receiver, the spring forthrowing the block into engagement, and means for locking the block outof engagement with the lump when said block has been withdrawn,substantially as specified.

3. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiverhaving the extension, the barrels, and the lump upon the under side ofthe same, the latter being provided with the curved face 12, of thelocking-block pivoted in the receiver and having the convexed front faceand the rear shoulder, the spring secured to the receiver and bearing onthe shoulder in rear of the pivotal block, the snap-lever terminating atits front end in a cylindrical head having the lug 22, the screw 21,passing through .an opening in the receiver and into the head,and thelink 24, pivoted at 25 to the upper end of the locking-block and at itsrear inner face provided with a recess 23 for engaging the lug 22 of thesnaplever, substantially as specified.

at. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiverhaving the extension, the barrels, and the lump upon the under side ofthe same, provided at its rear end with a locking-face, of thelocking-block pivoted in the receiver and at its front end adapted toengage and lap over the face of the lump, a spring for pressing theblock into such engagement, a lever pivoted to the receiver and adaptedto withdraw the block from such engagement a pawl pivoted in the path ofthe lump, and a spring for pressing the free end of the same up intoengagement with a cavity in the locking-block, substan tially asspecified.

5. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, thepivoted gunbarrels having a lump, and the pivoted locking-block forlocking the lump, of. means for.

swinging the block to the rear out of engagement with the lump, atrigger located in rear of the block, and devices between the lump andtrigger and actuated by the former to depress the trigger in rear of thepivot, substantially as specified.

6. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, thebarrels, their lump, and the block pivoted inthe receiver and adapted atits front end to lock the lump, of a trigger pivoted in rear of thelump, a sliding bar mounted for reciprocation in the path of the block,said bar engaging the trigger and being actuated by the block, and meansfor subsequently returning the bar, substantially as specified.

'7. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, thepivoted barrels having the lump, the pivoted lump-locking block, and thespring for throwing the same into engagement with the lump, of thepivoted trigger having the extension 40, the locking-bar 63, slotted toengage the pin of the trigger and locatedin rear and in the path of thelocking-block, the pin extending laterally from the bar and engaging theinclined face of the extension of the trigger, and the but ton mountedfor sliding in a slot in the re- ICC ceiver and pivoted to the rear endof the bar, substantially as specified.

8. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiverhaving the extension and the barrel hinged thereto and having the lumpand reciprocating extractor, of the pivotedtumblerhavingit-s upper endengaging the extractor and its lower end extending in rear of its pivot,the cocking-lever pivoted in the receiver and at its front end engagingthe tumbler, and a hammer pivoted in the receiver and adapted to bearupon the cocking-lever and to be elevated. thereby, substantially asspecified.

9. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, thebarrels, and lump hinged to the front end of the same, of extractorsmounted for reciprocation in the lump, hammers pivoted in the receiver,the tumblers pivoted under the extractors and in front of their pivotsengaging the extractors, and the cocking-levers pivoted in the receiverin rear of the extractors and bearing against the hammers, so as toactuate the same, and at their front ends engaging the tumblers in rearof their pivots, substantially as specified.

10. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, ahammer pivoted therein and provided upon its upper side with a notch andupon its lower side with a notch, means for raising the hammer, and aspring-pressed sear for engaging the lower notch, of asafety-lockterminatingin a shoulder and pivoted in rear of the hammer and a springfor pressing the same against the hammer and in the path of the uppernotch thereof, substantially as specified.

11. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, ahammer pivoted therein and provided upon its upper side with a notch andupon its lower side with a notch, means for raising the hammer, and aspring-pressed sear for engaging the lower notch, of asafety-lock-pivoted in rear of the hammer and having a shoulder formedat its front end and in rear of the same provided with an indicating-lugprojecting through an opening in the receiver, and a spring for pressingthe catch upon the hammer in the path of the notch, substantially asspecified.

12. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, thepivoted hammer having a safety-notch in its upper side and provided witha sear-engaging notch at its lower side, a pivoted sear spring-pressedto engage the lower notch, and a safety-lock spring-pressed upon thehammer in the path of its safety-notch, of a pivoted trigger engagingthe sear in rear of its pivot and provided with an extension forengaging the safety-catch, substantially as specified.

13. In a breech-loading shotgun,-the combination, with the receiver, ahammer pivoted therein and provided with a notch, and a scar pivoted inrear of the hammer and provided with a shoulder and at its front endadapted to engage the notch, of a trigger pivoted in the receiver andloosely connected with the sear in rear of its pivot, means forelevating the hammer, and a V-shaped mainspring interposed between thehammer and the shoulder of the sear, substantially as specified.

14. In a breech-loading shotgun, the combination, with the receiver, thebarrels and lo mp hinged thereto, the extractors mounted forreciprocation in the lump, the tumblers pivoted to the lump and at theirupper ends bearing against; the extractors, the transverse bolt 31, thecocking-levers mounted thereon, at their front ends terminating in hooksfor engaging the rear hooked ends of the tumblers and in rear of thesame provided with projections 30, the hammers pivoted in front andprovided with the safety-notches and below the same with the notches 49and 50, the sears 43, having at their front ends engagement with thenotches 50 and at their rear ends provided with a lateral extension,said sears also being mounted on the bolt 31, immediately in rear ofwhich they are provided with shoulders 45, and the V-shaped mainsprings54,-having their front terminals taking in the notches 49 and their rearterminals against the shoulders of the sears, of the triggers pivoted attheir front ends upon the bolt 31 and provided at their .rear sides withseats for the reception of the extensions of the scars and above thesame with upward extensions, the catches 57, pivoted in the receiver inrear of the hammers and provided at their front ends with shoulders, andV- shaped springs interposed between the upper sides of the receiver andthe catches, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE S. BARTLETT.

Witnesses:

R. M. MCKINNEY, W. M. THORNTON.

ICC

